Euskal Herria ★ Donbas Elkartasun Komitea

Communication from the Press-Services of Lugansk City Council

Sergey Kravchenko: “The city is in a critical state. Lugansk is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe”.

Over the past months, the head of Lugansk municipality Sergey Kravchenko, deputies, executive committees, emergency and communal services, the Ministry of Emergency Situations (МЧС), treasurers, and inclusively the medical personnel of hospitals, social workers and many others continue to maintained the safe habitability of the city. Workers of all municipal subdivisions are doing everything possible to minimize the effects of wartime keeping the cities life-support infrastructure operational.

It is difficult to call what is happening in Lugansk an Anti-Terrorist Operation – it’s a full scale war, which already took more than one hundred lives of peaceful civilians, destroying residencies, municipal building of social sphere, devastated thousands of human lives.

Yet, the city is continuing to function. The Lugansk City Council takes full responsibility for the resolution of ongoing problems; which arise every minute. The ongoing services include the repair of roads, improvement of public services, preparation for winter, the functioning of preschool facilities, the provision of food and other necessities. But, already today, after several months, the city as a consequence of blockade and continual bombardment is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.

Electricity was briefly restored on Friday until being cut off due to bombardment of the last operational substation; the city is supplied by eight. At the time electricity was restored to the hospital, water treatment and delivery facilities, emergency services and residential sectors. By the evening the substation was once again damaged. Due to ongoing battles, emergency works are unable to restore service. As a result the city is deprives of electricity, water, phone and internet.

There is no benzene, diesel of gas in Lugansk. There are no deliveries, reserves have been exhausted. Ambulances, fire trucks, public transit, food delivery trucks and all other vehicles are incapacitated; Emergency services and public transit are able to function only in minority of situations, the roads are empty.

Food: Due to long term absence of electricity and refrigeration food has spoiled. There is no food delivery to the city. The assortment is diminishing every day. Grocery stores are closing. At many markets long queues are observed, people are agitated. Despite the difficult situation, the production of bread continues, meat packing plant is still working. However the dairy plant has stopped working due to absence of milk delivery.

There is no supply of potable water. For more than a week, the Municipal water services have delivered water without chlorination. Obtaining bottles water is practically impossible.

Humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians has yet to be provided. The people who are fleeing are putting their lives on the line. If a humanitarian corridor was provides, hundreds more would evacuate.

Today, Ukranian artillery bombardier the ‘center for utilization of waste’ damaging the majority of their vehicles. The collection and removal of waste has become a pressing issue.

In Lugansk all pensions and salaries have been arrested. All banks are closed, cash is in short supply. Municipal employees are working without pay . Pensioners have been hit the hardest and are on the brink of poverty. Other works have been last paid over a month ago.

“Lugansk is in complete blockade and isolation. Today, despite all difficulties, we apply maximum effort and are looking for option for the resolution of problems. With each day the situation deteriorates, today it is critical. On behalf of the Luganks municipal head, I would like to reassure its citizens: I remain with the city and will continue doing everything that I can, to support its life ”, said Sergey Kravchenko.